Patterning mechanism of flat single bed knitting machines



Patented Nov. 9, 1948 2,453,629 PATTERNING MECHANISM OF FLAT SINGLE BED KNITTING MACHINES Gustav Huber, Cleator, England, assignor to Kangol Wear Limited, pany of Great Britain Cleator, England, a com- Application October24, 1946; Serial No. 705,327 In Great Britain November 6, 1945 .3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in'flat single bed knitting machines of the type used for knitting berets and similarly shaped articles.

In such machines as hitherto constructed the patterning mechanism controlling the needles for the formation of the sections of the article are operated by patterningmechanism in the form 1 of flats mounted on a cylinder which is reciprocated to bring the flats into engagement with the ends of the needles before each traverse of the cam box, the cylinder being rotated to bring each of the flats successively into the operative position. The flats which vary in length according to the pattern desired are in the form of steel strips which are secured by screws around the periphery of the cylinder and when it is desired to vary the pattern the flats have to be removed from the cylinder and replaced which is a relatively long operation. Moreover the number of flats which can be employed is limited by the diameter of the cylinder.

The aforesaid known construction has also the further disadvantage that it is necessary to reciprocate the relatively heavy cylinder to bring the flats into a position to engage the ends of the needles which also complicates the drive to the cylinder.

One of the objects of the present invention is an improvement in the patterning mechanism which will obviate the necessity of reciprocating the cylinder for controllingthe needles and a further object is to allow a much greater number of flats to be employed and to be changed more easily and quickly than is the case with the usual patterning mechanism.

According to the present invention the flats do not directly actuate the needles but control an equal number of two armed members eachflof which is pivotally mounted on a stationary shaft or bar below the rear outer ends of the lower when there is no space, gap, slot, aperture or the like therein to allow them to pass through and the ends of the upper arm bein adaptedto engage the ends of the needles when the endsof the lower arms are resting on t e flats, the upper arms of the members held by the flats in the position for engaging the needles being operated by a reciprocating or oscillating bar to cause them to push the corresponding needlesinto their knitting positions,

The invention is illustrated in and will be de- 1 scribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectionshowing the patends of the needles, the arms resting on the flats tern cylinder, a two armed member, the reciprocating bar and a needle; three positionsof the two armed member, viz. the operative position shown in full lines, the inoperative position shown in broken linesand the half-needle posltion shown in chain dots; I

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detailed viewsin section showing the position of the end of atwo armed member relative to the flats andcylinder when in the operative position, the inoperative position and the half-needle positionfrespectively;

Fig. 5 is a part plane view of the cylinder and Fig. 6 is an end view partly in section of a modified form of cylinder and pattern controlling means. l 1

A series of needle controlling members B having two arms b and b are pivotally mounted on a stationary shaft or bar A below the rear ends of the knitting needles C, there being a member Bfor each needle C. l

Th'e'arms b and b of each of the needle controlling members B are at an angle (preferably about to eachother and extending rearwardly from the central part or hub 12 which is pivotally mounted on the shaft A. When a member B is in its operative position; i. 'e. the position shown in full lines inF'ig. 1, its upper arm b is inclined rearwardly at a small angle to the vertical.

The face of'th'e outer end of the upper arm 17 which engages the needle 0 is formed with a curved recess b the curvature of which is such that when the member B is oscillated aboutthe shaft A toactuate the needle C, the pressure on the latter will not tend to move it out of its horizontal path,

The outer end of the lower arm 12* of the mem berB is at such angle to the arm that it is substantially vertical and when the member'is oscillated it will move in a substantially vertical path. The outer ends of the lower arms: 11 of some of the members B are formed with a shoulder b for a purpose which will be hereinafter described. V l The pattern mechanism shown in Fig. 1 comprises a series of flats E carried by two endless bands E one at each edge which pass around a cylinder D and hang downwards therefrom one or both of the bands bein provided with registering holes or eyelets spaced at equal distances apart preferably on the longitudinalcen- The ends of the lower arms b of the member B normally rest on the flats E asshown in Fig. 2 and when in this position the ends .of thelupper arms b are in the operative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

Elongated apertures e are formed inthe flats E, there being an aperture e for each needle C which it is desired should be inoperative. so that when the end of the lower member I)? of the Q6?" responding member 18 is opposite" an aperture 6 the end will fall through the aperture-into the slot (1 in the cylinder as shown in Fig. 3 and; the member .3 will move into th position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. If desired; the movement of the members B may be assisted by alight spring such as the} spring L.

The flats are preferably formed of asuitable synthetic resin, cardboard; paper or the like, al' though they may be of metal if desired;

The cylinder D is rotatably mounted in'fixed bearings and is rotated therein inaseries of intermittent movements from the driving shaft of the machine; each angular movement bringing a successive' flat E into engagement with the ends of the lower arms b of the members B. I M g Instead of a series of flats carried between endless bands E as shown in 5 members B may be controlledby an endless band E of the necessary-width and of: a materialwhich is sufiiciently flexible to pass round the grooyed cylinder D thepatterning apertures e being formed" at the required distance apart) in the endless band E The ends 11 of the members Bmay be lifted utiofthe apertures e. and slots dduring the periodic rotation of the cylinder by suitably. shaping the ends or they may be lifted out by positive means suchas the bar or rod F which is: raised each; time the cylinder rotates by suitable mechanism; from the driving; shaft. 3

As has been hereinbefore described the needle operating members B are moved intotheir operative positions for moving the needles 0' by the flats l'il or endless band E? and they arein such position i. e. the position shown in full lines in Fig. .1 their upper ends lie in the path of the front edge 9; of a bar Gextendi-ng across the machine and carried by arms pivoted below-the axis of the cylinder shaft D The arms: H are given an oscillating movement causing thetfront edge of the bar G to movethe curved portions b on upper arms 11 of all the members B which are in the operative positioninto engagement with the corresponding needles G and movethe latter into the knitting position. I 1

Instead of the bar G'being carried by oscillatingarms. it may be carried in slides and begiven a reciprocating movement. 7 In order that. the. needle at the end of a group to be moved may be moved for half the normal distance i. e: what is usually termed a half needlef the lower ends of the arms I)?- of themem here 3 are formed Withshoulders b as previously described and the apertures e in flats E ortho band- E for forming the half-needles are of half, thelength of theapertur es 8.- Thus. when the; etc Ofa member B -coinc.id.e' a. halfneedle e itwill enter into the cylindergroove 4 d until restrained from further movement by the shoulder b engaging the fiat as shown in Fig, 4 and in chain dots in Fig. 1. When in this position the upper end of the member B as shown in Fig. l, is out of the path of the front edge 9 of the bar G-but is the pathgof a second edge g belfiindandbelow' the edge g. The bar G thus moves about half its travel before the curved edge b of the member B engages the correspending needle C and consequently the latter willonly be movedhalf its normal travel.

The mechanism for omitting the first, second and third needles for forming the crown at the commencement: of each section of the article are in the usual form-of three stepped cams on the face of. arotating wheel. These cams operate .a horizontally sliding finger which moves a plate s'lidably mounted on the end of the reciprocating or oscillating bar G which has the effect of shortening the effective length of the bar by distances equalto the width of one, two and three needle actuating members B. I claim: 1 a

l. Controlling mechanism for, the knitting needles of a flat bed knitting machine of the type used for knitting berets and similarly shaped articles; said mechanism comprising a series of pivotally mounted two. armed levers one end of each lever being normally] adjacent to the end ofa needle an intermittently rotated cylinder having a plurality of longitudinal grooves spaced at: equal distances apart around itsperiphery, a series of flats arranged. as an endless band passing over the said cylinder, the width of each fiat being equal to-the pitch of the grooves in the periphery of thecylinder, means for registering the fiats over the grooves in the cylinder aseach groove is below the opposite ends of'the two armed levers to the ends adjacent to the needles, eaohfiat being provided with transverse patterning slots through which the end of each two armed lever corresponding to a needle not to be operated according to the pattern will fall into 2. Controlling ,mechanism for the knitting needles of a flat bed knitting machine of the type used for knitting berets and similarly shaped articles as in claim 1 wherein some of the slots 1 in the flats are of half the normal lengthand a shoulder is. formed on the end of the two armed lever whereby when the end of a lever coincides with a short slot it will only fall half the normal distance into the groove in the cylinder and consequently thecorresponding needle will receive half its normal movement.

3. Controlling mechanism for the knitting needles of a flat bed knitting machine of the type used for knitting berets and similarly shaped articles, comprising a series of pivotally mounted two-armed levers; one for each needle, one end of each lever beingnormally adjacent to the end of a needle, an -interm-ittently moved endless patterning .mechanism carrying a plurality of equal spaced rows of pattening slots at right angles to its direction of movement, the slots in each row corresponding to the needles not to be operated according to the pattern, whereby as each row of slots is positioned below the ends 01 the twoearmed levers opposite to the ends 6 thereof adjacent to the needles the said oppo- I site ends will fall into the slots toremove the REFERENCES CITED I other ends of the levers from the ends of the The following references are of record in the needles, and a bar having a to and fromovefile Of this D i ment which engages the levers which have re- 5 FOREIGN PATENTS mained stationary through their ends not falling into the slots and causes them to operate the Number Country Date corresponding needles, 27 7 t y D80. 30, 1929 GUSTAV HUBER 375,351 Great Britain June 20, 1932 

